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DOD
104-10105-10218

[2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992,
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OCC 76-1072
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3 MAR 1976

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(Sackground Use Only
AD0 Nok Reproduce
MEMORANDUM FOR: Associate General Counsel, OGC Loom
ne)
VIA : Deputy Director for Operations— gy!) /
SUBJECT : Mitchell Livingston WER BELL III
REFERENCE : Your memorandum of 24 February 1976,

Subject as above

1. Per reference request, we are forwarding
information in our files concerning contacts that have
taken place between this Agency and WER BELL.

2. The following is a summary of all DDO contact
directly with WER BELL which took place in 1959:

a. A July 1959° Memorandum to C/WH Division
signed by Grom s J. Flores) stated that General
Cabell called @lores to report that WER BELL had
called him. 9WER BELL discussed with General Cabell
a trip WER BELL had taken to the Dominican Republic
and offered to come to Washington at his own expense
to discuss the trip. No commitments were made to
WER BELL by General Cabell.

7 July 1959 Memorandum of Conversation

: b. A
signed by(T. J. Flores) stated that WER BELL was
met in Washington, D.C., b lores )who discussed

with WER BELL information*¢oncerning the Dominican
Republic, Fidel Castro, Fulgencio Batista and
General Pedraza.

c. A July°4959 Memorandum of. Conversation
signed br. J. Flores) stated that on 8 July 1959
O35 (lores alted WER BEL to set up an appointment.
During’the meeting, WER BELL was told that the
United States would not support any revolutionary
activities by General Pedraza. He was also told
that the U.S. will observe its international
obligations concerning Cuba and Pedraza, and that

wet ‘en. Olé...

2 Okan


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the U.S. would not overlook any violations by Background Use Only
Pedraza or his followers of. the neutrality Laws ‘x90 Not Reproduce
Flores) said that the Agency had some interest in

the pdéssibility of his (WER BELL's) working

for us as an intelligence gatherer under terms

to be negotiated after.we obtained a security

clearance on hina Gores pointed out that the

Agency was not attempting to limit his actions

in connection with the Dominican Republic, nor 6

was it assuming any responsibility for those >

matters he carried out in his own behalf. (Flores

dictated a Secrecy Agreement to him and had him

sign it.

d. ASQ guly°t959 Memorandum for the Record
signed by(T. J. Flores)reported that Subject
called him on 9 July I959 from New York.. WER BELL
gave(Flores further information on Loos, fnu,
thé*represehtative of a Colonel Frei, fnu, of the
Swiss. army who had 1,000 men available for duty
as soldiers.

e. 20 suly “4959 Memorandum for the Record
signed by\T. J. Flores) reported that WER BELL
called, €lores) from Miami on 20 July to ask about
the Agency picking up the tab for his forthcoming
trip to the Dominican Republic. They discussed
his clearance which had not come through.

. £. A 3 August 1959 Memorandum for the
Record signed by Martha R. Tharpe reported that O35
on 24 July 195 *WER- BELL called for Mr. (Thomas J.

‘Flores Since pnores) was on leave, Tharpe took

the call. WER BELL gave Tharpe further infor-
mation concerning Pedraza and Batista. Tharpe
called WER BELL back that evening to tell him

that if he obtained further information to
report it to Mr. Justin coetll Me’ Cl Contacts
Representative in Miami, until Mr. Flores )returned
to Washington. a3

g. A saugust 1959 Memorandum for the Record
signed by(@l. J. Flores)stated that WER BELL phoned
him on 5 August 1959 to ask if there was any news
on his clearance. WER BELL said he wanted to go
to the Dominican Republic soon, and would like CIA
to pick up his expenses. He was told there was no


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news. (C1ores) and WER BELL gust fief39) p Dominican
Republic and Cuba. On 3 August florés) phoned
WER BELL and told him that his Geers? had not Barkers TO cia
been granted and that he should not predicate his. Rothe se Only
activities on the expectation of the clearance ats O NOs Reprodues
any given time. WER BELL said that the Pedraza
group was air lifting and dropping material into
Cuba.

h. A 9 Sept mber 1959 emorandum for the
Record signed by\T. J. Flores)reported that
WER BELL called (Flores on 9 September 1959 to

rovide information on Cuba. He was told by
03(Flores)that his clearance had not yet been
processed.

i. According to a 23 September 1959 °F
Memorandum for the Record signed by(T. J. Flores)
WER BELL called(Flores)on 9 September 1959 to
ask if his clearance,had come through since
he wanted the Agency’to finance his trip to
the Dominican Republic. .He was told it had
not. WER BELL told @lof8s jabout some people
who had been discussing the counterfeiting
of U. S. dollars and Cuban pesos for use in
connection withosXuban revolutionary activities.
He was told by lores )to contact the FBI.» On
13 September WER BELL had phoned (lores) at? home
to say that the FBI had referred him to the
Secret Service on the counterfeiting aspect,
and that no one seemed particularly interested
in the’ gun running. The Secret Service asked
him’to go to Miami at his own expense to obtain
further information on the matter and WER BELL
asked Flores") advice 3} lored said that he could
not%influence him one way or’the other since he
was not in a position to direct his activities,
but felt he might be better off to take no action.
He was told that (Flores)would be in touch with
him as soon as he hadSany further information
concerning our possible use of him.

j. Al3 Octoberv"1959 Memorandum for the
Record signed by (Thomas J. Flores)states that
WER BELL phoned him on 25 September 1959 to report
on Cuba. On 2 October 195933@lore’) talked with
WER BELL by phone and terminated the relationship.

3. The following undated memorandums are also contained in
WER BELL's file: .

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03 a. A Memorandum for the Record signed by,
¢. Flores )reports that WER BELL called flores, oh
3 August~1959 to discuss Cuban activities re Miami / RETURN TO CIA
his memorandum also records that WER BELL phoned  ®2ckground Use Only
03 Flores Jagain on 26 August 1959 at which time activi ti@9 Not Reproduce
in the Dominican Republic and Cuban activities in
Miami were discussed. WER BELL also asked about the
status of his clearance, and was told it had not yet:
come through.

Qo
3
b. A letter signed "W'' addressed to (Tom) |
gave "W's" location and some information concerning
Batista and Castro. (This letter is probably in
the 1959 time frame.)

o3 c. A Memorandum of Conversation signed-by
T. Flores) reports that WER BELL called(Flore3 and
gave his~location. The status of WER BELL's
clearance was discussed and (Flores )told him it
had not yet come through.°3 WER BELL gave @lores) OF
some information concerning Batista. (This
memorandum probably is in the 1959 time frame.)

d. An unsigned report, apparently from
WER BELL, gave a summary of his contacts and
activities during a trip to the Dominican Republic.
(This report is probably in the 1959 time frame.)

4. A 17 December.1963 dispatch from Station Santo Domingo
reported that Station (Noc Officer Joseph Luna) recently met
WER BELL. in Santo Domingo. ,,, No further detaiYs of the meeting
were reported. 603

5. According to the CS file on WER BELL, three former
Agency employees were contacted in 1974 by WER BELL and other
representatives of a group called "Friends of Abaco (FOA),

a group allegedly advocating the secession of the island of
Abaco from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The three former
employees contacted are:

a. John Patrick Muldoon, retired from
CIA on 20 March 1972.
oF
Gheodore John Roussos), retired from CIA
oa (on 31 July 1970.) He was rehired on a
contract in February 1971. His contract
was terminated in September 1973.


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c. Walter Joseph Mackem, separated from CPeiround Use Only
CIA on 31 October 1973. NO Nok Reproduce

6.. Mr. Muldoon contacted Agency employee (E. James °F
McTighe\on 22 May 1974. Mr. Muldoon told Mr. McTighe
that he’ was nominal Vice President of a Washington-based
firm called "Security Consultants International.'"' He presented
Mr. McTighe with a report containing the essential data he
possessed concerning WER BELL and other members of FOA whom
he had met on 17 and 20 May 1974 in Washington, D.C. According
to Mr. Muldoon, WER BELL had hopes of establishing gaming
casinos, hotel and other tourist facilities in Abaco catering
to the U. S. tourist crowd. As a consequence of some run-in
with Prime Minister Pindling of the Bahamas, however, WER BELL
is apparently persona non grata in the Bahamas; hence his
ambitions appeared to be contingent on Abacan independence.
Mr. Muldoon reported that at least on two occasions WER BELL
made a concerted effort to involve persons formerly affiliated
with the Agency in the activities of the FOA in support of
its independence. On several occasions, WER BELL introduced
Mr. Muldoon and Mr% OuSSOS) as active Agency officials, implying
that either the Agenty or the United States Government supported
the aims of the FOA. WER BELL also proposed to Messrs. Muldoon
and Qoussos) in separate conversations that they conduct a study,
involving a°Visit to Abaco, to determine the feasibility of
Abaco's independence in political and economic terms. The
study was to include interviews with citizens of Abaco prior
to an alleged "plebiscite" on independence to take place in
Abaco on 28 June 1974.03 In default of the collaboration of
either Muldoon or (Roussos } WER BELL hired Mr. Walter Joseph 6
Mackem, a former Agency friend of both Muldoon and (Roussos)
According to WER BELL's file, Mackem later in 1974 contacted
the Agericy in an attempt to get an official policy on the
activities of the FOA. Mackem was informed that the case
comes under FBI jurisdiction, that this Agency has no official
involvement, and that all information we had on the matter had
been made available to the FBI. He was advised at that time
to report his contacts and any information he had to the FBI.

o3
7. On 24 March 1975, Mr. Joseph P. Hayes) assigned to
SE/PCH, reported that during the week of 9 March 1975, he
talked with Mr. Wesley Dyckman. Mr. Dyckman is a former Agency
employee employed by the Drug Enforcement Agency. According

‘to Dyckman, former Agency employee Walter Mackem was employed

in the Washington area:as a private investigator. He is also
involved with a paramilitary activity funded by some unnamed
British source, The activity, which Dyckman referred to as


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o3 (Roussos!) getting involved in this deal 3

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, Z AETURN TO CIA
“6 (@ackground Use Only
nie 9 Not Reproduce

"the new land project" sought to establish a tax shelter on
one of the out-islands of the Caribbean by forcefully taking
over the island and establishing a government there. Mackem

is supposedly involved in the paramilitary training of forces
who would participate in this adventure. According to Dyckman,
the paramilitary training supposedly was to take place in
Georgia, where WER BELL is based.

8. On 31 August 1974, Mr. Rou$do9 met with Mr. K. Michael
Absher, who at that time was AC/E/GC, and told | him that
WER BELL was leaving for Athens on 31 A (Rous sell arms to
the Greek Government. WER BELL wanted Rouseps) to be _his
advisor in this venture and to go to a(g ENS 3 Roussos) told
WER BELL that he would check with CIA before? giving Wim an answer.
WER BELL asked (RBusso3 to see if the Agency was in favor of
such an arms a@e or at Mr. Absher strongly advised against

Gous sos) told Mr. Absher

that he understood and agreed not to get involvéd. (Roussos 3
said that WER BELL would probably cali him from Aindne and’
would give WER BELL a final negative reply.

9. On 22 July 1974, the FBI reported that WER BELL may
be in possession of a one-line note from former CIA Director:
William Colby stemming from a chance meeting with the Director
at an OSS alumni dinner, reading something like ''Good to. see
you again." This note was apparently used by WER BELL to
suggest that he and Mr. Colby were good friends. This infor-
mation was passed on to Mr. Colby on 9 August 1974.

10. According to reporting from several Stations, WER BELL
and Arthur L. Smith (a cohort of WER BELL's) were in several
Central American countries during August and early September
1962. Their principal activity appeared to be contacting
officials of the governments of Guatemala, Nicaragua, and
El Salvador for the purpose of obtaining recognition of a
de facto Cuban Government in exile called the "United
Organization: for the Liberation of Cuba."' In discussions with
Nicaraguan Government representatives, WER BELL claimed the
proposed Cuban Government in exile had the support of 90
separate Cuban exile organizations and 186,000 Cuban exiles.

WER BELL offered a representative of the Nicaraguan Government
$100,000 to obtain that government's recognition of the Cuban
Government in exile. The group claimed to have its headquarters
at 1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW, in Washington, D.C. While in
Guatemala, Smith claimed that the group had a man in the .
Department of State in Washington, D.C., whom they pay $6,000
per year ''to keep them advised."


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11. In December 1965 WER BELL contacted a Miami DCD
asset and told him that he and six Cuban exiles in the U. S.
had organized a group, including approximately 20 Cubans
inside Cuba, to perform a commando operation in Cuba during
early January 1966., Their primary mission was the assassination
of Fidel Castro, with the secondary mission of blowing up the
generators that supply electricity to Havana, Cuba. WER BELL,
at the time, stated that he was trying to get a "green light"
from CIA to proceed with the mission, and inferred that the
mission would be called off if such approval was not obtained.

12. On 7 February 1966 the Miami office of the FBI
reported that WER BELL had been in contact with various news
agencies concerning an alleged plan to assassinate Fidel Castro,
and reportedly also had discussed the plan with Mr. Richard
Phillips, Public Affairs Officer, Department of State, Washington,
D.C. WER BELL claimed to have a group of some 500 men infiltrated
into Cuba and said that they were ready for action to overthrow
the regime immediately following the assassination of Castro.
According to the FBI, WER BELL gave the impression that he is
acquainted with many high government officials, both in the U. S.
and other countries, arid implied. that his assassination plan
had been approved by CIA.

13. According to a memorandum in WER BELL's file, on 7
February 1968, one Bruce Arman Baker telephoned an employee
of this Agency and said he had been in contact with WER BELL.
Mr. Baker said that WER BELL was in the weapons manufacturing
business and delivered them by air throughout the world.
Mr. Baker said that he understood that WER BELL does this for
CIA. Mr. Baker said that he understood from WER BELL that he
would have to get a CIA security clearance to fly for WER BELL.
Baker said that he was afraid that his past smuggling record
might keep him from getting a CIA clearance. 35

14. WER BELL came to the attention of the Bangkok Station)
in early 1969 when he went to Thailand representing himself

as Vice President of Sionics, Atlanta, Georgia. He described
himself as a counterinsurgency expert, had a variety of weapons
to display, claimed to be a retired colonel, and introduced
himself at a local nightclub as Chief of CIA in Thailand.

WER BELL attempted to sell arms to the Thais and also to a
variety of U. S. military elements? ? (Station Bangkok) passed

the gist of his reputation to key personalities in the U. S.
mission and the Thai Government stressing that he was not
sponsored in any way by the U. S. Government.


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15. WER BELL was also the subject of two memorandum
signed by Lawrence R. Houston. Mr. Houston, answering a
request from Joseph J. Liebling, Deputy Assistant Secretary
of Defense, on 23 February 1971, denied WER BELL's alleged
affiliation with the CIA. On 28 October 1971, Mr. Houston
wrote Mr. David H. Henretta, Jr., of the Industrial Security
Clearance Review Division, to return notarized Interrogatories
previously sent by Mr. Henretta.

16. We have no information on Colonel Bayard except news
articles reporting his death which were forwarded by the FBI.

17. Per your request, we have sent instructions to the
LA/Miami Station that there should be no contact with WER BELL.

Acting Chief
Latin America Division

E2 IMPDET
CL BY 012913


